We are disgusted, rather alarmed, at the public show of rift between the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the Central Govermment in recent months.

Based on the recommendation of the Royal Commission on Indian Currency and Finance (1926), as conceptualised by Dr. B.R.Ambedkar in his famous book, “The problem of the Rupee – its origin and its solution”, RBI was established in 1935 to take care of the financial troubles in the aftermath of the First World War. Since then it has been in charge of managing and regulating the currency and credit system, the monetary policy and foreign exchange reserves of the country; it also acts as the Banker to the Central and State Governments and exercises supervisory
and regulatory controls over the Banking System.

True to its policy of decimating all constitutional and other public institutions to suit its political agenda, the present dispensation at the centre has been out to undermining the autonomy and authority of RBI in all conceivable ways. It all started with the formation of the Monetary Policy Committee, in 2016, with three members nominated by the Centre, so as to gag the RBI’s absolute say in the matter of deciding interest rates. Then came the most ill-conceived demonetisation which, the RBI claimed to have been handed out to it by the Centre, a clear case of usurpation of authority of RBI in the matter of currency management.

To make RBI fall in line, Sri Nachiket Mor, a Director on the Board of RBI, was then removed more than two years before his term was to expire; at the same time, Sri S. Gurumurthy and Sri S. Marathe, having RSS-links, were inducted into the Board much to the displeasure of the Govornor. Then it has been flexing its muscles on the issues of management of Bad Loans (called NPA) of Banks and Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) thereagainst.

There are tussle, also, over Special Window for Dollar Sales to Oil Companies, over funding of Non-Banking Financial Companies, over formation of a separate Payment Regulator etc. To top it all, the Centre wants the RBI to transfer its reserves to the central exchequer; while RBI has made a pay-out of a whopping Rs.30,000/- crore this fiscal, the Centre demands at least Rs.66,000/- Crore which the RBI has declined. The list is almost unending but having one single objective of decimating the Reserve Bank of India, the Central Bank of the country.

While we do not subscribe to all the decisions of RBI at all times, there is no denying that the firm intervention by RBI has saved our economy from many a crisis, the latest being the global financial meltdown of 2008; we firmly believe that undermining RBI would, in its wake, bring about a costly disaster for our economy.

We, therefore, demand that the authority, autonomy and independence of RBI be further strengthened so as to enable it exercise more and stringent supervisory and regulatory control over the banking and monetary system in the best interest of our country.

For favour of circulation/broadcasting/telecasting through your esteemed media.

It has come to the notice of the Reserve Bank that in certain places there is reluctance on part of traders and members of public to accept ₹ 10 coins due to suspicion about their genuineness.

It is clarified that the Reserve Bank puts into circulation, the coins minted by mints, which are under the Government of India. These coins have distinctive features to reflect various themes of economic, social and cultural values and are introduced from time to time.

As coins have longer life, coins of different designs and shapes circulate in the market at the same time. So far the Reserve Bank has issued ₹ 10 coins in 14 designs and the public has been informed of their distinctive features through Press Releases (list appended). All these coins are legal tender and can be accepted for transactions.

The Reserve Bank has in the past also issued a Press Release (November 20, 2016) requesting members of the public to continue to accept coins of ₹ 10 denomination as legal tender in all their transactions without any hesitation.

The Reserve Bank has also advised banks to accept coins for transactions and exchange at all their branches.

2. On a review of the position, the daily limit of withdrawal from ATMs has been increased (within the overall weekly limits specified) with effect from January 01, 2017, from the existing ₹ 2500/- to ₹ 4500/- per day per card. There is no change in weekly withdrawal limits.Such disbursals should predominantly be in the denomination of ₹ 500.

Amounts exceeding Rs.5000 in old notes can be deposited only once between now and 30.12.2016

Press Information BureauGovernment of IndiaMinistry of Finance

19-December-2016 16:24 IST

Amounts exceeding Rs.5000 in old notes can be deposited only once between now and 30th December, 2016

The deposits of old notes of Rs.500 and Rs.1000 denominations have been reviewed by the Government from time to time. Already more than five weeks have elapsed since the time of the announcement of the cancellation of the legal tender character of these notes. It is expected that, by now, most of the people would have deposited such old notes in their possession. Keeping this in view and to reduce the queues in the banks, it has now been decided that amounts exceeding Rs.5000 in old notes can be deposited only once between now and 30th December, 2016. The banks have been advised to conduct due diligence regarding the reasons for not depositing these notes earlier. Amounts of Rs.5000 or less may continue to be deposited with banks in the customer’s account, as at present. However, cumulative deposits exceeding Rs.5000 between 19th and 30th December, 2016 will be as per the procedures advised by RBI in respect of deposits exceeding Rs.5000 as stated above.

Further, an opportunity has been given to the public to make the payments towards tax, penalty, cess/surcharge and deposit under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana (PMGKY) 2016 with the old bank notes of Rs.500 and Rs.1000 denomination upto 30th December, 2016.

A number of representations had been received from District Cooperative Central Banks (DCCBs) to allow them to deposit with their linked currency chests the old Rs.500 and Rs.1000 notes that had been collected by them between the 10th of November and 14th of November, 2016. An enabling notification to this effect has been issued. NABARD which supervises the DCCBs will conduct complete audit check of the Know Your Customer (KYC) documents of the individual customers who have deposited these notes or of the members of the Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) who have deposited these notes. The details in this regard will be notified by RBI.